Hope For the Future

After briefly mentioning internationally ranked, World Champion Dietmar Trillus in a previous post I decided to do a little more research on him. I figured I should know a little more about him other than he uses a wrist strap release; and what I found out about him is truly inspiring and gives me personal hope for my own shooting career.

If I could, I would shoot in a viking hat too.

When discussing top ranked shooters, we as the general public immediately want to feel like we can relate to them and moreover, have a chance to be them. So the most immediate question asked in any interview is either "how long have you been shooting," or "when did you start shooting?" (Same question, different wording). Unfortunately for the inner ego of shooters like me who did not start shooting seriously until adulthood, most top shooters started during childhood. Such as the case with dominant competitors like Erika Jones (Anschutz) and Reo Wilde, who practically exited the womb with a bow in hand.

However, Dietmar Trillus has the distinction of not having found archery until his early 40's. Originally intending to simply hunt and having little to no interest in competitive target shooting, Trillus initially, actually had to be strong armed into competing in various local and regional shoots around Ontario and in the United States.When he eventually qualified for the Canadian national team for the 2007 World Championships (at which he took home an individual gold medal) he, in fact was not even a sponsored staff shooter.

So ultimately, I offer this up to you as an example of what can be done with hard work, dedication and a love for the sport. No doubt, to succeed in archery you have to pay your dues and spend the time but never forget, no one said all this time and effort had to be space out over decades starting from birth.

Now go out and shoot. There is much fun to be had.

Specialty Archery has a great interview (here) with him explaining his beginnings in archery.